Film gate



Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE FILM GATE Robert H. Larson, Batavia, Ill. Application October 7, 1948, Serial No. 701,783

This invention relates to a film gate. The invention, while of general utility in projectors, is particularly adapted for use in connection with projectors for use with slide film.

Present-day types of film gates make it difficult to thread iilm through the gate or adjust the same in desired position. As a rule, present-day construction provides no satisfactory means for maintaining the film in position in the gate until the gate itself has been closed. Thus, with prolectora now available, it isfrequently necessary that several attempts be made to adjust the film in proper position before success is attained. Frequently, during the process of adjusting the film, the length of film' being handled is scratched, punctured or damaged.

The invention hereinafter described provides a construction which simplifies threading of film through the gate and makes it possible to adjust the film in predetermined position with respect to the gate in a quick and effective manner.

In the drawing, an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it being understood, however, that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Referring therefore, to the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of a film gate in open position. Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 3 with the film retainer closed. Figure 3 is a front view of part of the film gate of Figure 1 but in partly closed position.

A projector body of any desired construction is shown fragmentarily at I0. The body supports shaft II and sprockets I2 and Il for feeding film. Sprockets I2 and I3 have portions projecting through slots I8 and I6 in film guide I8. The guide may consist of metal or any other suitable material and may be curved as shown along the length of film travel. Film guide I8 has top IS adjacent lm gate where a frame for projection is located. Film 2i is adapted to be moved past gate 20 by turning the knob on shaft II. Gate 20 has, pivoted at one side 22, lens barrel 23 containing a suitable lens system for projecting a focused image'on a screen not shown. Lens barrel 23 may be mounted in any suitable manner as by pin 25 supported in ears 26 at the side of the film gate Barrel 23 is provided at the bottom inside end with tongue 28 supported on the barrel structure by any suitable means, such as screw 29. The projector housing supports spring clip 30 at the side of the film gate opposite to pin 25, spring clip ll being adapted to cooperate with the lens barrel structure to maintain the'barrel in a locked position.

9 Claims. (Cl. 88-17) Pivotally mounted adjacent the bottom end of guide I8 is illm retainer l2. Film retainer 82 may be mounted at 3l and 84 on flanges 28 and 88 extending forwardly from the body of the projector housing: Retainer 32 comprises arm I8, cross member 88 and slotted end pieces 40 and II. The slotted end pieces are adapted to iit over the projectingportions of sprockets i2 and I8. 'me entire retaining member is shaped so that cross piece 39 and slotted members 4U and 4I will lie against film extending from gate 28 down over guide I8. The engagement between cross piece Il and the slotted ends, on the one hand, and guide I8, on the other hand, is sufficiently snug so that film 2 I .must be disposed in correct relation to the sprockets with the sprocket teeth extending throughslots in the film before the retainer can be locked in position.

It will be noted that. at pivots 38 and Il of retainer 32, the metal or material of which the retainer and guide are formed is cut out to provide openregion 48. Thus, any film may be threaded through space 43 to over-lay supporting strip 4I.

Retainer 82 is so dimensioned with respect to the bottom of lens barrel 28 that it is necessary for retainer 82 to be closed before the lens barrel may be closed. Tongue 28 extending down from the barrel over-lies cross piece 38 to prevent opening of retainer 32 when the barrel is in locked position.

in order to' thread a length of film through the f projector, the barrel is'opened and retainer 32 moved away from the sprockets to an open Dosition as shown in Figure 1. Film 2i may then be threaded through the gate and over the guide and disposed against the sprockets in desired position. Retainer 32 is then closed. after which the lens barrel may be locked in place and the pro jector is ready for use.

It is evident that tongue 28 may be disposed on retainer 32 and shaped to prevent the retainer from being closed after the lens barrel has been closed. It is also possible to rearrange the pivot pins of both the lens barrel and retainer so that one or the other or both are parallel to the line of film travel.

What is claimed is:

1. A nlm gate construction comprising a. flh'n gate proper, a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at said gate, said barrel being movable on its pivot to open and close said gate, a film guide adjacent one end of said Bate along the line of film travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said film through said gate, a

film retainer for holding film in position against said guide. means for pivotally mounting said retainerfior movement to an open or closed position. an means for preventing the closure o! said nlm retainer while said lens barrel is in a closed position. said retainer and lens barrel being successively movable to closed positions.

2. A nlm gate construction comprising a nlm gate proper. a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at said gate to be movable to an open or closed position respectively, a nlm guide adjacent one end o! said gate along the line of nlm travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said nlm through said gate, a. nlm retainer for holding nlm in position against said guide, means for pivotally mounting said retainer with said pivot axis extending perpendicular to the line oi travel of said nlm in said gate, said retainer being movable on its pivot axis to an open position free of the guide and to a closed position to retain said nlm against said guide, said retainer and guide beingshaped to provide an open region through which nim may be threaded readily when said retainer is open.

3. A nlm gate construction comprising a nlm gate proper, a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at said gate,` said barrelbeing movable on its pivot to openand close said gate, a nlm guide adjacent one end of said gate along the line pf nlm travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said nlm through said gate. a nlm retainer for holding nlm in position against said gate, means for pivotally mounting said retainer for movement to an open r closed position, said retainer and lens barrel having adjacent portions movable with' respect to said gate when moved on their respective pivot axes, said retainer being movable to a fully closed position only when said lens barrel is open and means ior locking said lens barrel in a closed position, said lens barrel having means for maintaining said nlm retainer closed when said lens barrel is locked.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the means for maintaining said nlm retainer closed comprises a tongue on a portion of said lens barrel adjacent to said nlm retainer.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said lens barrel has its pivot parallel tothe line ofnlm travel through said gate and wherein th'e nlm retainer has its pivot perpendicular to the line of film travel with the pivot being on the side of said retainer remote from the lens barrel.

6. A nlm gate construction comprising a nlm v gate proper, -a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at a side o1' said gate to be movable to an open or closed position, said pivot being parallel to the line of nlm travel, a nlm guide adjacent one end of said gate along the line o1 nlm travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said nlm through said gate, a nlm retainer for holding nlm in position against said guide, means for pivotally mounting said retainer with said pivot axis extending perpendicular to the line of travel of said nlm in said gate, said retainer pivot being disposed on the side of said retainer remote from the nlm gate, means extending between the adjacent portions of said retainer and lens barrel for maintaining said retainer closed when said lens bar-rel is closedfand {neans for locking said lens barrel in a closed posi lon.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said retainer has a substantial portion of material cut away adjacent the retainer pivot to facilitate threading of the nlm when the barrel and re' tainer are both open.

8.1A nlm gate construction comprising a nlm gate proper, a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at said gate to be movable to an open or closed position respectively. a nlm guide adjacent one end of said gate along the line of nlm travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said nlm through' said gate, a nlm retainer for holding nlm in position against said guide, means for pivotally mounting said retainer with said pivot axis extending perpendicular to the line of travel of said nlm in said gate, said retainer being movable on its pivot axis to an open position free of the guide and to a closed position to retain said nlm against said guide, and means on said retainer and barrel to prevent closure of said retainer while said barrel is in a closed position.

9. A film gate construction, comprising a nlm gate proper, a lens barrel, means for pivotally mounting said barrel at said gate to be movable to an open or closed position respectively, a nlm guide adjacent one end of said gate along the line of nlm travel, means adjacent said guide for moving said nlm through said gate, a nlm retainer for holding nlm in position against said guide, means for pivotally mounting said retainer with said pivot axis extending perpendicular f to the line of travel of said nlm in said gate,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Anle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,191,145 Baldwin July 18, 1916 1,738,762

DeVault Dec. 10, 1929 

